This invention relates generally to painting apparatus. More particularly, this invention pertains to apparatus for painting stripes on surfaces for traffic control.
Stripes are applied to roadways, parking lots, warehouse floors and the like for directing the movement and placement of vehicles. Durable paints are sprinkled with small reflecting beads to ensure long term night-time visibility of the lines with vehicle headlights.
Prior art painting systems used to apply marking lines to longer lengths of highway generally use large vehicles dedicated to a single use. Because of their large size, lack of maneuverability, high labor consumption and expense, these machines are generally inappropriate for use on smaller projects such as parking lots, building floors, short sections of roadway repair and the like. Such applications generally require enhanced maneuverability because of short lines, line discontinuity, comers and the presence of obstacles to be avoided.
Prior art systems installed in a truck bed and/or on a truck chassis typically require extensive modifications to the vehicle, and may include means for powering the painting apparatus from the vehicle engine. Use of such machines typically requires one or two riding operators in addition to the vehicle driver. Such vehicles are dedicated to the single purpose of line striping.
In these vehicle mounted units, mounting and dismounting of the paint striping apparatus is generally a long and arduous process.
Trailer mounted line markers are difficult to maneuver in cramped spaces. In addition, it is very difficult to obtain straight lines with trailer mounted units because the articulation produces a cyclic lateral motion resulting in a wavy line.
In view of the prior art, the need exists for a surface line marker which may be quickly and easily mounted on a pickup truck or other utility vehicle. Furthermore, a line marking system is needed which may be quickly converted frown an operating configuration to a transport configuration for driving at highway speeds. Such an apparatus which permits the vehicle to be used for other purposes merely by quick, simple removal of the spray system is very desirable, reducing the need for multiple vehicles.